Jailed despite lax bomb security

A MAN has been jailed for 18 years in Britain after a pipe bomb was found in his hand luggage at Manchester Airport. Nadeem Muhammad, 43, was sentenced on Wednesday for possessing an explosive with intent to endanger life.

The court heard he had been planning to board a Ryanair flight to Italy on January 30 when security officers uncovered a device made of masking tape, batteries, the tube of a marker pen, pins and wires, in the zip lining of his small green suitcase.

Judge Patrick Field criticised security for making a "wholly erroneous and potentially dangerous” conclusion the bomb was not viable after it was seized by officers.

Muhammad claimed he had never seen the device before and it had nothing to do with him.

Airport security initially believed the bomb was not viable and, after being questioned by counter-terrorism officers, Muhammad, who was born in Pakistan but had an Italian passport, was released.

Judge Field said he had been "alarmed by some of the evidence in the case”.

He said: "In these dangerous times it seems to me there's no room for complacency.”

He said the situation was "compounded” by police who accepted the assurance that the device was not viable and missed an "early opportunity” to arrest Muhammad - who was allowed to board a flight to Italy five days later and another back to the UK before he was arrested on February 12.

"I express hope that security at the airport and policing at the airport will be subject to a review at the highest level,” he said. - INM